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1 of 6The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG isn't quite at the same level as the more expensive SL AMG, but that doesn't mean it isn't a blast on the road.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2 of 6No manual transmission option is offered on the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG roadster. Some found the automatic gearbox to be the weak link in terms of driving enjoyment.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

3 of 6The power-folding hardtop convertible roof on the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG contributed to an overall curb weight almost 600 pounds heavier than the Boxster S, making it an odd addition to a performance-oriented machine.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

4 of 6The interior of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG is comfortable and pleasing. Material quality is excellent, lending to its overall elegance.

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NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG is an effortless assassin, offering an abundance of power delivered in smooth, athletic fashion. The naturally aspirated V8 is the critical element in this machine. It sounds great, delivers a lot of grunt from launch and when thrusting to higher speeds on the expressway, and it really feels like a hot rod at times. A well-dressed one? Yes. But the engine offers up so much juice it's hard to not want to drive this thing fast.

But if one wants to simply cruise into work, that's fine, too. The car is comfortable and pleasing on the inside, despite its sporting nature. The materials are excellent, and this interior, done up in black and red, is a particularly nice blend of athleticism and elegance.

The chassis is well-tuned for sporty driving. It's stiff, almost to the point of borderline punishing at times, but it makes for smart dynamics. The steering offers smooth response, though it's a bit lighter than one might expect. Regardless, the reflexes in the SLK55 are excellent.

I liked the design, which looks muscular in back through the hips and is chiseled up front. It really stands out, though with all of the gills, vents and black wheels, it walks the fine line of being overdone. It works for my taste, though, and it's hard to fault a company for achieving attitude. And as an aside, the $500 panoramic sunroof is perhaps the nicest single option on this car, creating a relaxing, airy experience.

SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: If you were to sit down in a quiet design office and begin to craft a White Paper for what a modern roadster should—or at least could—be, you might easily find yourself finishing up and seeing the blueprint for the SLK55 staring back at you.

The thing is, as with nuclear arms, Facebook, Twitter and the Jurassic Park scientists' cloning of dinosaurs: Just because you can doesn't mean you necessarily should.

This AMG creation veers too far outside of the roadster paradigm for me, though the upshot to some will be that it stands alone in character—and character is always central to this class of machine.

But I don't compare this car anymore to Porsche's Boxster or BMW's Z4 because it uppercuts the traditional open-top two-seater ethos, then drops a WWE-style flying-elbow-from-the-top-rope on it for good measure. It boasts gobs of power and torque, but its curb weight eclipses the Boxster S' by almost 600 pounds. Six hundred pounds, man! Its body does not appear svelte and flowing, but mean and brawny. You have a hardtop convertible roof at your disposal, but it also features a glass panoramic panel that, should you choose the appropriate option, can darken and lighten to suit conditions and moods. I would applaud this in a luxury sedan. But in a drop-top roadster? I could not help but wonder how much weight this adds in addition to the folding hardtop. Seems like a bit of blue-sky overkill.

The SLK55's on-road performance borders on brutal at times, especially on uneven roads. Everything about its feel says “heavyweight brawler,” not “featherweight technician.” Foot down, the V8 belches deep and loud, and you have a ball alternating between serious forward acceleration and seriously fun sideways powerslides. Oddly, I found the deadpedal, or footrest, is not high enough and is placed too far over on the footwell's left side. A result, perhaps, of AMG not offering a manual gearbox.

For me, the automatic transmission employed here is the car's weak link in terms of driving joy and engagement. It works fine and is reasonably smooth on both upshifts and downshifts (matching revs for the latter), but it does not like to bang down through the gears quickly. Several times I found myself arriving at my predetermined braking point and attempting to rifle-off downshifts at a quick pace using the left-hand, wheel-mounted shift paddle: “click, click, click.” Too often, my three or four clicks would yield only two or three actual shifts, invariably leaving me at least one gear higher than I wanted. You must be very deliberate and well-spaced with downshifts when driving in spirited form, which is a bummer in a car like this. I felt that way in general, as the harsh ride, obviously assisted steering and raw power are much more akin to the Incredible Hulk's plodding, building-smashing nature than to, say, Spiderman's pure athleticism.

Yes, I still like this car a lot, I really do. The interior is very hip and high-end, with carbon fiber and glowing red LED strips trimming the doors and console. It is fun to drive. However, it produces an experience more like the one my brain and body expect from a high-performance German sedan or midsize coupe than a relatively compact sports car.

Turning back to that White Paper, I'd say to myself after my first test drive, “Well, that didn't turn out quite as I intended.” AMG, on the other hand, certainly did, and I have no doubt there are people who love it for doing so.

I'm just not that kind of guy when it comes to open-air roadsters, unless I'm driving consistently on unrestricted stretches of Autobahn.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: Fact is, the car most SLK55 AMG buyers really want is that bad boy SL AMG, but they can't come up with the scratch. Yes, it's heavy and hard to completely control and little on the wicked side, but so is your badassed tattooed baby brother. Get used to it or buy further up the food chain.

I'm with Mac when it comes to the car's slouch point, the tranny action, or inaction as the case may be. When you need—really need—a downshift and you're nowhere close to redline, you ought to be able to get one. Instead, you have to self-limit your driving to accommodate the powertrain and that's a sad situation in a car that purports to be serious sports car.

Love the engine, love the looks, but the overall package leaves me wanting more. I guess if my pocketbook could take it, I'd be an SL shopper.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: I went on the launch of the SLK 350 last year and I was elated by the fact that it finally looks more masculine than the curvy hip lines and rabbit nose of the last two generations. The V6 in it more than pushed the car around the Tennessee mountains and as hardtop convertibles go, this is one of the better looking examples.

This AMG monster ditches the light and peppy V6 for 5.5-liter German hammer, and I loved every minute of it. Well, that's not exactly true, but we'll get to that in a minute. The 415-hp V8 launches this car with a whoosh feeling in the pit of your stomach that's normally reserved for bigger cars. It makes the same V8 exhaust note as the SLS AMG and the same sort of backfire sound on high-rev upshifts. Awesome.

It's also another naturally aspirated mill like the Honda Civic Si I was just in with strong power through the rev range. And like the guys above said, the logic programmed into the transmission is a little wonky. Sometimes you can't get a downshift when you need one; I'd love a multi-clutch setup like the SLS.

My complaint might be a bit picky but the SLK has one annoying thing that would drive me crazy if I owned the car. When the seat is all the way back it squeaks on the surface behind it, a loud, annoying, continuous squeak.

Like I said the exterior is way manlier than in past years. It now wears the same front end as the big SL coupe, which is a good. And this is one of the few cars with a folding hardtop that doesn't upset the lines. I also just realized that the top probably centers the weight quite nicely when it's packed away in the trunk. I did miss the Magic Sky roof, which is the Star Trek glass that Mac was talking about. One button turns it from clear to a dark-tinted blue, keeping most of the sun out. That would be first on my option list.

The price tag puts in a weird no-man's land, being much more expensive than most small roadsters and without the utility of something bigger. I can see this as a weekend cruiser for someone who already owns a GL- or G-class.